Changing working hours and State Pension

pdblake

Ok, so my pension forecast says I am entitled to full state pension when I finally get there in 2037. I know I can't make the pension any better.

My question is this: I am thinking of reducing my working hours (I'm 55 this year and have a lump sum I can draw on), but this will likely mean me not paying any NI contributions at all. Will this affect my state pension? I know it says that I've got enough years in already but 12 years seems a long while not to make any contributions. Though I believe that I could give up work altogether and still be entitled to it.

la531983

No. If you have made enough, you have made enough, they cant take them off you.

jimi_man

If you have achieved full SP then it won’t make any difference to your SP whether you pay NI or not. 

pdblake

That's good to know. I thought I already knew the answer, just needed some reassurance. Thanks.